Fluid containing mattress

ABSTRACT

A water bed for use with persons suffering long-term disabilities comprises a centrally located portion filled with a fixed amount of water or other suitable fluid and two pairs of inflatable air cells associated therewith. By selective inflation of the air cells the depth of the fluid can be raised or lowered without changing the amount of fluid in the bed. This feature allows a patient to effectively lower the depth of the fluid to a point where the patient can turn himself over; something extremely difficult to accomplish with the greater depth. An additional feature is presented in an alternate embodiment whereby a widened area is provided in the liquid containing patient supporting portion of the mattress to accommodate the shoulders of the patient.

Unit Sates F ate 1 H 1 3,842,455

Whitney Oct. 22 1974 l l FLUllD CONTAllNlNG MATTRESS Fri/narylz'xaminer-Bobby R. Guy

I I L L I Assistant Examiner Andrcw N l. Calvert I I [76] Inventor 222:; gi Y THE- n Attorney, Agennor Firm-William H. McNelll; Cyril i A.Krenzer [22] Filed: June 28, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 374,361 ABSTRACT I Awater bed for use with persons suffering long-term i Appllcatmn Data 7disabilities comprises a centrally located portion filled [63] f; 5 6ggf with a fixed amount of water or other suitable fluid and two pairsof inflatable air cells associated therewith. By selective inflation ofthe air cells the depth of IIl M34855; the fluid can be raISed orIowered without g g I58] i 348 WB the amount of fluid in the bed. Thisfeature allows a patient to effectively lower the depth of the fluid toa point where the patient can turn himself over; something extremelydifficult to accomplish with the [56] References Cited greater depth.

UNITED STATES PATENTS An additional feature is presented in an alternate3,585,660 6/1971 Gottfried et al. 5/348 WB embodiment whereby a widenedarea is provided in 3.6 9/1972 einstein 5/348 WB the liquid containingpatient supporting portion of the TOblnlCk mattress to accommodate theshoulders of the patient 3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures /0 54 d j/ I zv f Tl /24 z i 36 /4 6 J, 54 LL46 .3:

i l fil/i l l I l l f:a53r-- I 38 l j| 50 I I I L l .21 Kitty; 1% 52 'llLs u l l I I FLUID CONTAINING MATTRESS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATEDAPPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No.213,605, filed Dec. 29, 1971 inthe name of John K. Whitney, the inventornamed in the instant application now U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to therapeuticmattresses of the type generally known as water beds. Such mattresseshave been used for patients suffering burns over extensive body areasand for other patients requiring long confinement in bed. Patients underthe latter category often suffer from general fatigue, muscular pains,and in some instances, decubitus ulcers or pressure sores.

To combat the above-cited conditions hospitals and similar institutionshave utilized water beds. These beds, in their simplest form, comprisemerely a waterproof bag or bladder of vinyl or rubber or similarmaterial filled with a suitable fluid, such as water. While theyfunction to support the patient by the displacement principle they arevery difficult to handle, resembling in this regard a ballon filled withwater. Furthermore, it is virtually impossible for a patient to changeposition thereon without assistance from other people. Additionally, itis very difficult to maintain this type of water filled bed upon aconventional mattress, as is usually done.

To correct some of the above deficiencies, improved water beds have beenprovided with a rigid frame of wood or metal to contain the bag;however, this made it impossible to utilize the folding or raisingfeatures of hospital beds and did nothing to alleviate the problems of apatient attempting to change positions. As mentioned above, this eitherrequired the assistance of someone other than the patient or a complexcontrol valve which could allow the patient to drain the fluid from thebag, change position and then refill the bag with fluid.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this inventionto obviate the disadvantages of the prior art.

It is another object of the invention to enhance fluid filled beds.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a fluid bed whichcontains a fixed amount of fluid, the depth of which can be easilycontrolled by a patient or hospital personnel.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a fluid filledbed which can be used with a conventional hospital bed withoutdestroying the capability of the bed in raising the head thereof.

These objects are accomplished in one aspect of the invention by theprovision of a mattress for use with bed-ridden patients which comprisesa patient supporting portion containing a fixed amount of a bodysupporting fluid and having means associated therewith for changing thedepth of said fluid without effecting the amount of fluid contained inthe body supporting portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of theinventionwith some parts broken away;

FIG. 2 is an elevational sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG.1;

'FIG. 3 is an elevational sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showingone set of air cells inflated;

FIG. 5 is an elevational sectional view taken generally along the line5-5 of FIG. 1 but showing both sets of air cells inflated;

FIG. 6 is an elevational sectional view taken along the longitudinalaxis of the mattress and showing installation upon a bed with a patientthereon;

FIG. 7 is an elevational sectional view showing an altemate embodiment;and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an alternate construction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS For a better understanding ofthe present invention, together with other and further objects,advantages and capabilities thereof, reference is made to the followingdisclosure and appended claims in connection with the above-describeddrawings.

Referring to the drawings with greater particularity, there is shown inFIG. 1 a fluid containing mattress 10 incorporating the features of theinvention. The mattress 10 comprises a patient supporting portion 12adapted to contain a fixed amount of a suitable fluid, such as water oroil. Associated with portion 12 are means 14 for changing the depth ofthe fluid. Means 14 comprises two pairs of air cells 16 and 18respectively, each pair comprising a small diameter cell 20 and a largerdiameter cell 22. The pairs of cells 16 and 18 extend longitudinallyalong the outer edges of the substantially rectangular mattress 10..

The small diameter cells 20 are individually and independently fillableas at sealable intakes 24. The larger diameter cells 22 have a commonsealable intake 26. The interconnection between the: spaced apart largerdiameter cells 22 is accomplished via formed pillow sections 28 and 30which are positioned at the head end 32 and the foot end 34 of themattress l0. The patient supporting portion 12 is provided with a fluidintake 36, which is, of course, sealable.

The under surface of mattress 1.0 is provided with at least two sets ofstraps 38 for attaching mattress 10 to a conventional mattress 40, suchas is shown in FIG. 6.

While many forms of construction are possible, preferred embodiments areshown in FIGS. 2-7. Referring specifically to FIG. 7 it will be seenthat mattress 10 is constructed of three sheets of a suitable material,such as vinyl of about 0.020 in thickness. The sheets are rectangularand substantially of the same size, that is, they conform to the size ofa conventional hospital mattress, and a first sheet 42 forms the bottomof mattress 10. A second sheet 44 overlies the first sheet and is sealedthereto completely around the peripheral edge as at 45. Two longitudinalseals 46 and 48 are spaced inwardly from the longitudinal, peripheralseal a distance sufficient to form the required diameter of larger cell22. Two transverse seals 50and 52 (see FIG. I) are spaced inwardly fromthe transverse peripheral seal a distance sufficient to form thepillowsections 28 and 30. The common jointure areas between seals 46, 48, 50,and 52 are provided with interconnecting air passages 54, which can besimple areas of no-seal containing therein hollow plastic tubes 56 ofsufficient rigidity to resist deformation when the fluid portion of themattress is filled.

A third sheet 58 overlies the first and second sheets and is sealedthereto about the peripheral edge. Two longitudinal seals 60 and 62 areconsummated between the third sheet 58 and the second sheet 44, theseseals being spaced inwardly from the peripheral seal a distancesufficient to form the smalldiameter cells 20. The remaining space 64which exists between the cells provides the patient supporting portion12 which will be filled with fluid.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 2-6. Herein, theonly difference between the construction described above is the additionof a fourth sheet 66 which overlies the third sheet 58 and is sealedthereto at its peripheral edge 68. In this embodiment it is the spacebetween the fourth sheet and the third sheet that is filled with fluid,the area 64 between the third and second sheets becoming a dead airspace and serving as added protection against leaks.

In use, generally the small diameter air cells, which are calledstabilizing cells, are inflated to their required height and the patientsupporting portion 12 is'filled with the necessary amount fluid, such aswater. For a v mattress conformed for use with a typical hospitalmattress, the amount will be about 20 gallons. It should be here notedthat while the discussions herein revolve about hospital size beds,there is no reason why the instant invention could not be made toconform to double, queen or king size beds if so desired.

With only the small air cells 20 inflated, the depth of the fluid willbe about 2 inches. By inflating the larger diameter air cells 22 (seeFIG. 5) the transverse width of the mattress 10 is shortened, thusraising the depth of the fluid to about 6 inches. The transverseshortening of the mattress provides considerable slack in the top sheetof the mattress, whether this be third sheet 58 of FIG. 7 or fourthsheet 66 of FIG. 5, insuring that a patient lying thereon is trulysupported by the fluid with all of its concommitant benefits, such asequal support and low pressure.

In FIG. 6 is shown another advantage of the instant invention. Becauseof the provision of the inflatable air cells to contain the water orother fluid, this mattress will accommodate itself to the shape of theunderlying mattress 40 thus allowing the head of the bed to be raised asshown.

The provision of the pillow sections 28 and also provide a firmersupport for the head of the patient, thus reducing the tendency forcritically ill patients to develop seasickness, a common occurrence withfluid ments as by the addition of one or longitudinal seals 31,

as shown in FIG. I.

An alternate construction of the mattress 10 is shown I in FIG. 8.Herein, the patient supporting portion 12 is provided with a widenedarea 13 adjacent the head end 15 of the mattress. The widened area 13comprises two opposed sections 17a, 17b respectively, each havingsubstantially the form of an elongated isosceles trapezoid. Thetrapezoidal sections are formed in the large diameter cells 22 thusreducing these cells somewhat at that particular area whilesimultaneously enlarging the liquid carrying patient supporting portion12, thus providing increased width to accommodate the shoulders of apatient. The widened area is provided by forming the trapezoidalsections 17a, 17b in longitudinal seals 46, 48 respectively.

While there have been shown and described what are at present consideredto be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can bemade herein without departing from the scope of the invention as definedby the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mattress for use with bed-ridden patients comprising: a patientsupporting portion containing a fixed amount of body supporting liquidand means associated with said patient supporting portion for changingthe depth thereof without changing the amount of said fixed amount ofliquid; said patient supporting portion having a head end and a foot endand being substantially rectangularin configuration and having a widenedarea comprised of two opposed sections each having the form of anelongated isosceles trapezoid adjacent said head end to accommodate theshoulder area of a patient; said rectangular patient support portioncomprising a liquid-tight bag having at least one sealable fill opening;and wherein said means for changing the depth of said liquid comprisestwo pairs of air cells, each pair having a small diameter cell and alarge diameter cell, one each of said pairs extending longitudinallyalong said rectangular bag and being operatively attached thereto, saidwidened areas being formed in said large diameter cells.

2. The mattress of claim I wherein a pillow section filled with air isprovided at the head end and the foot end of said matress.

3. The mattress of claim 2 wherein said small diameter cells areindividually and independently fillable with air and said largerdiameter cells have a common fill position, the connection between saidlarger diameter cells being via said pillow sections whereby said pillowsections are inflated with said larger diameter cells.

1. A mattress for use with bed-ridden patients comprising: a patientsupporting portion containing a fixed amount of body supporting liquidand means associated with said patient supporting portion for changingthe depth thereof without changing the amount of said fixed amount ofliquid; said patient supporting portion having a head end and a foot endand being substantially rectangular iN configuration and having awidened area comprised of two opposed sections each having the form ofan elongated isosceles trapezoid adjacent said head end to accommodatethe shoulder area of a patient; said rectangular patient support portioncomprising a liquid-tight bag having at least one sealable fill opening;and wherein said means for changing the depth of said liquid comprisestwo pairs of air cells, each pair having a small diameter cell and alarge diameter cell, one each of said pairs extending longitudinallyalong said rectangular bag and being operatively attached thereto, saidwidened areas being formed in said large diameter cells.
 2. The mattressof claim 1 wherein a pillow section filled with air is provided at thehead end and the foot end of said matress.
 3. The mattress of claim 2wherein said small diameter cells are individually and independentlyfillable with air and said larger diameter cells have a common fillposition, the connection between said larger diameter cells being viasaid pillow sections whereby said pillow sections are inflated with saidlarger diameter cells.